Great Chinese Wall – grandiose building throughout the history of mankind, which performs a defensive function. The reasons for the creation of such a large-scale building arose long before the start of the long construction. Many principalities of the north and kingdoms of China in general built protective walls from raids of hostility and simple nomads. When all the kingdoms and principalities united (3rd century BC), the emperor named Qin Shi Huang, with all the forces of China, began the centuries-long and difficult construction of the Chinese Wall.

Shanhai-guan is the city where the Great Wall of China begins. It is from there that it stretches in wavy curves, skirting more than half the borders of Central China. The width of the wall is on average 6 meters, and the height is about 10. At some point in time, the wall was even used as a good, flat road. On some sections of the wall there are fortresses and fortifications as additions.

2450 meters is the length of the Chinese Wall, although the total length, taking into account all the branches, bends and meanders, is almost 5000 km. Such large and endless dimensions have long given rise to many legends, myths and fairy tales, for example, one of the most common is that the wall can be seen from the Moon and Mars. In fact, the Wall of China is only visible from orbit and in satellite images.

According to a widespread legend, a huge imperial army, about 300,000 people, was spent on the construction of the wall. In addition, tens of thousands of peasants were accepted and involved in construction, since the number of builders was decreasing for various reasons, and it was necessary to compensate for this with new people. Fortunately, there are no problems with “human resources” in China to this day.

The geographical location of the wall itself is very interesting: it is a symbol that divides the country into two parts - the north belongs to the nomads, and the south to the landowners.

Another interesting and tragic fact is that this is the longest and largest cemetery in the world in terms of the number of burials. History is silent about how many people were buried during construction and during the entire period in general. But the figure is probably incredibly large. The remains of the dead are found even today.

During the entire existence of the wall, it was restored more than once: its reconstruction was carried out from the 14th to the 16th centuries, and then from 16 to 17. At this point, special signal towers were added, which made it possible to notify the enemy’s attack through fire and smoke (transmitted from one tower to another).

As a means of defense, the wall performed very poorly, because such a height is not a hindrance for a large enemy. Therefore, the guards for the most part did not look at north side, and to the south. The reason was that it was necessary to keep an eye on the peasants who wanted to leave the country to avoid taxes.

Today, in the 21st century, the Great Wall of China is an officially recognized symbol of its country, known throughout the world. Many of its sections have been reconstructed for tourism purposes. One part of the wall runs directly next to Beijing, which is a winning option, because it is in the capital that the most a large number of tourists.

Badaling is the most visited section of the Great Wall of China by tourists.

« Long wall 10,000 li” – this is what the Chinese themselves call this miracle of ancient engineering. For a huge country with a population of almost one and a half billion, it has become a source of national pride, a calling card that attracts travelers from all over the world. Today, the Great Wall of China is one of the most popular attractions - approximately 40 million people visit it every year. In 1987, the unique site was included by UNESCO in the list of world cultural heritage.

Local residents also like to repeat that anyone who does not climb the wall is not a real Chinese. This phrase, uttered by Mao Zedong, is perceived as a real call to action. Despite the fact that the height of the structure is approximately 10 meters with a width of different areas within 5-8 m (not to mention the not-so-convenient steps), there are no fewer foreigners wanting to feel like true Chinese, at least for a moment. In addition, from above, a magnificent panorama of the surrounding area opens up, which you can admire endlessly.

You can’t help but be surprised at how harmoniously this creation of human hands fits into the natural landscape, forming a single whole with it. The solution to the phenomenon is simple: the Great Wall of China was not laid across desert terrain, but next to hills and mountains, spurs and deep gorges, smoothly bending around them. But why did the ancient Chinese need to build such a large and extensive fortification? How did the construction proceed and how long did it last? These questions are asked by everyone who has been lucky enough to visit here at least once. Researchers have long ago received answers to them, and we will dwell on the rich historical past of the Great Wall of China. It itself leaves tourists with an ambiguous impression, since some areas are in excellent condition, while others are completely abandoned. Only this circumstance in no way detracts from the interest in this object - rather, on the contrary.

History of the construction of the Great Wall of China


In the 3rd century BC, one of the rulers of the Celestial Empire was Emperor Qing Shi Huang. His era fell on the Warring States period. It was a difficult and contradictory time. The state was threatened from all sides by enemies, especially the aggressive Xiongnu nomads, and it needed protection from their treacherous raids. Thus was born the decision to build an impregnable wall - high and extensive, so that no one could disturb the peace of the Qin Empire. At the same time, this structure was supposed to, in modern terms, demarcate the boundaries of the ancient Chinese kingdom and contribute to its further centralization. The wall was also intended to solve the issue of “purity of the nation”: by fencing off the barbarians, the Chinese would be deprived of the opportunity to enter into marriage relations with them and have children together.

The idea of ​​​​building such a grandiose border fortification was not born out of the blue. There were already precedents. Many kingdoms - for example, Wei, Yan, Zhao and the already mentioned Qin - tried to build something similar. The State of Wei built its wall around 353 BC. BC: the adobe structure divided it with the Qin kingdom. Later, this and other border fortifications were connected to each other, and they formed a single architectural ensemble.


Construction of the Great Wall of China began along Yingshan, a mountain system in Inner Mongolia, in northern China. The emperor appointed commander Meng Tian to coordinate its progress. There was a lot of work to be done. Previously built walls needed to be strengthened, connected with new sections and extended. As for the so-called “internal” walls, which served as boundaries between individual kingdoms, they were simply demolished.

The construction of the first sections of this grandiose object took a total of a decade, and the construction of the entire Great Wall of China lasted for two millennia (according to some evidence, even for as long as 2,700 years). At its different stages, the number of people simultaneously involved in the work reached three hundred thousand. In total, the authorities attracted (more precisely, forced) about two million people to join them. These were representatives of many social strata: slaves, peasants, and military personnel. The workers worked in inhumane conditions. Some died from overwork as such, others became victims of severe and incurable infections.

The terrain itself was not conducive to comfort, at least relative. The structure ran along the mountain ranges, skirting all the spurs extending from them. The builders moved forward, overcoming not only high climbs, but also many gorges. Their sacrifices were not in vain - at least from the perspective of today: it was precisely this landscape of the area that determined the unique appearance of the miracle structure. Not to mention its size: on average, the height of the wall reaches 7.5 meters, and this does not take into account the rectangular teeth (with them the entire 9 m is obtained). Its width is also uneven - at the bottom 6.5 m, at the top 5.5 m.

The Chinese popularly call their wall the “earth dragon.” And it is by no means accidental: at the very beginning, any materials were used during its construction, primarily compacted earth. It was done like this: first, shields were woven from reeds or twigs, and between them clay, small stones and other available materials were pressed in layers. When Emperor Qin Shi Huang got down to business, they began to use more reliable stone slabs, which were laid close to each other.


 Surviving sections of the Great Wall of China

However, it was not only the variety of materials that determined the heterogeneous appearance of the Great Wall of China. The towers also make it recognizable. Some of them were built even before the wall itself appeared, and were built into it. Other elevations appeared simultaneously with the stone “border”. It is not difficult to determine which ones were before and which ones were built after: the first ones have a smaller width and are located at unequal distances, while the second ones fit organically into the building and are exactly 200 meters apart from each other. They were usually built rectangular, on two floors, equipped with upper platforms with loopholes. Observation of enemy maneuvers, especially when they were advancing, was carried out from signal towers located here on the wall.

When the Han Dynasty, which ruled from 206 BC to 220 AD, came to power, the Great Wall of China was expanded westward to Dunhuang. During this period, the object was equipped with a whole line of watchtowers that went deep into the desert. Their purpose was to protect caravans with goods, which often suffered from raids by nomads. Most of the sections of the wall that have survived to this day were built during the Ming Dynasty, which ruled from 1368 to 1644. They were built mainly from more reliable and durable materials - stone blocks and bricks. Over the three centuries of the reign of the said dynasty, the Great Wall of China “grew” significantly, stretching from the coast of Bohai Bay (Shanhaiguan Outpost) to the border of the modern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province (Yumenguan Outpost).

Where does the wall begin and end?

Man-made border Ancient China originates in the north of the country, in the city of Shanghai-guan, located on the shores of the Bohai Bay of the Yellow Sea, which once had strategic importance on the borders of Manchuria and Mongolia. This is the easternmost point of the 10,000 Li Long Wall. The Laoluntou Tower is also located here, it is also called the “dragon’s head”. The tower is also notable for the fact that it is the only place in the country where the Great Wall of China is washed by the sea, and it itself goes as much as 23 meters into the bay.

The westernmost point of the monumental structure is located in the vicinity of the city of Jiayuguan, in the central part of the Celestial Empire. Here the Great Wall of China is best preserved. This site was built back in the 14th century, so it also might not stand the test of time. But it survived due to the fact that it was constantly strengthened and repaired. The westernmost outpost of the empire was built near Mount Jiayuoshan. The outpost was equipped with a moat and walls - internal and semicircular external. There are also main gates located on the western and east side outposts The Yuntai Tower stands proudly here, considered by many almost as a separate attraction. Inside, Buddhist texts and bas-reliefs of ancient Chinese kings are carved on the walls, which arouse the constant interest of researchers.

Myths, legends, interesting facts


For a long time it was believed that the Great Wall of China could be seen from space. Moreover, this myth was born long before flights into low-Earth orbit, in 1893. This was not even an assumption, but a statement made by The Century magazine (USA). Then they returned to this idea in 1932. The then famous showman Robert Ripley claimed that the structure could be seen from the moon. With the advent of the era of space flight, these claims were generally refuted. According to NASA experts, the object is barely visible from orbit, from which it is approximately 160 km from the Earth's surface. The wall, and then with the help of strong binoculars, was able to be seen by the American astronaut William Pogue.

Another myth takes us directly back to the construction of the Great Wall of China. An ancient legend says that powder prepared from human bones was allegedly used as a cementing solution that held the stones together. There was no need to go far to get the “raw materials” for it, given that many workers died here. Fortunately, this is just a legend, albeit a creepy one. Ancient masters actually prepared the adhesive solution from powder, but the base of the substance was ordinary rice flour.


There is a legend that a large fiery Dragon paved the way for the workers. He indicated in which areas the wall should be built, and the builders steadily followed in his footsteps. Another legend tells of a farmer's wife named Meng Jing Nu. Having learned about the death of her husband during construction, she came there and began to cry inconsolably. As a result, one of the plots collapsed, and the widow saw the remains of her loved one underneath, which she was able to take and bury.

It is known that the wheelbarrow was invented by the Chinese. But few people know that they were prompted to do this by the beginning of the construction of a grandiose project: the workers needed a convenient device with which they could transport building materials. Some sections of the Great Wall of China, which were of exceptional strategic importance, were surrounded by protective ditches, filled with water or left in the form of ditches.

Great Wall of China in winter

Sections of the Great Wall of China

Several sections of the Great Wall of China are open to tourists. Let's talk about some of them.

The outpost closest to Beijing, the modern capital of the People's Republic of China, is Badaling (it is also one of the most popular). It is located north of the Juyunguan Pass and only 60 km from the city. It was built during the era of the ninth Chinese emperor, Hongzhi, who reigned from 1487 to 1505. Along this section of the wall there are signal platforms and watchtowers, which offer a magnificent view if you climb to its highest point. At this location, the height of the object reaches an average of 7.8 meters. The width is sufficient for 10 pedestrians to pass or 5 horses to pass.

Another outpost quite close to the capital is called Mutianyu and is located 75 km from it, in Huairou, a municipal district of Beijing. This site was built during the reign of Emperors Longqing (Zhu Zaihou) and Wanli (Zhu Yijun), who belonged to the Ming Dynasty. At this point the wall takes a sharp turn towards the northeastern regions of the country. The local landscape is mountainous, with many steep slopes and cliffs. The outpost is notable for the fact that at its southeastern end three branches of the “great stone border” come together, and at a height of 600 meters.

One of the few areas where the Great Wall of China has been preserved almost in its original form is Symatai. It is located in the village of Gubeikou, which is 100 km northeast of Miyun County, which belongs to the municipality of Beijing. This section stretches for 19 km. In its southeastern part, impressive with its impregnable appearance even today, there are partially preserved observation towers (14 in total).

Originates from the Jinchuan Gorge steppe area The walls are located east of the county town of Shandan, in Zhangye County, Gansu Province. In this place, the structure stretches for 30 km, and its height varies between 4-5 meters. In ancient times, the Great Wall of China was supported on both sides by a parapet that has survived to this day. The gorge itself deserves special attention. At a height of 5 meters, if you count from its bottom, several carved hieroglyphs can be seen right on the rocky cliff. The inscription translates as "Jinchuan Citadel".

In the same Gansu province, north of the Jiayuguan outpost, at a distance of only 8 km, there is a steep section of the Great Wall of China. It was built during the Ming Empire. It received this appearance due to the specifics of the local landscape. The bends of the mountainous terrain, which the builders were forced to take into account, “lead” the wall to a steep descent straight into the crevice, where it runs smoothly. In 1988, Chinese authorities restored this site and opened it to tourists a year later. From the watchtower there is a magnificent panorama of the surroundings on both sides of the wall.


 A steep section of the Great Wall of China

The ruins of the Yanguan outpost are located 75 km southwest of the city of Dunhuang, which in ancient times served as the gateway to the Celestial Empire on the Great Silk Road. In ancient times, the length of this section of the wall was approximately 70 km. Here you can see impressive piles of stones and earthen ramparts. All this leaves no doubt: there were at least a dozen sentinel and signal towers here. However, they have not survived to this day, except for the signal tower north of the outpost, on Mount Dundong.

The section known as the Wei Wall originates in Chaoyuandun (Shaanxi Province), located on the west coast of the Changjian River. Not far from here is the northern spur of one of the five sacred mountains of Taoism - Huashan, which belongs to the Qinling Range. From here, the Great Wall of China moves towards the northern regions, as evidenced by its fragments in the villages of Chennan and Hongyan, of which the first is best preserved.

Measures to preserve the wall

Time has not been kind to this unique architectural object, which many call the eighth wonder of the world. The rulers of the Chinese kingdoms did everything in their power to counteract the destruction. However, from 1644 to 1911 - the period of the Manchu Qing dynasty - the Great Wall was practically abandoned and was subjected to further more destruction. Only the Badaling section was maintained in order, and that was because it was located near Beijing and was considered the “front gate” to the capital. History, of course, does not tolerate subjunctive mood, but if not for the betrayal of the commander Wu Sangui, who opened the gates of the Shanhaiguan outpost to the Manchus and let the enemy through, the Ming dynasty would not have fallen, and the attitude towards the wall would have remained the same - careful.

Deng Xiaoping, the founder of economic reforms in the PRC, paid great attention to preserving the country's historical heritage. It was he who initiated the restoration of the Great Wall of China, the program of which started in 1984. It was financed from a variety of sources, including funds from foreign business structures and donations from individuals. To raise money in the late 80s, an art auction was even held in the capital of the Celestial Empire, the progress of which was widely covered not only in the country itself, but also by leading television companies in Paris, London and New York. A lot of work was done with the proceeds, but sections of the wall remote from tourist centers are still in poor condition.

On September 6, 1994, the Great Wall of China Thematic Museum was inaugurated in Badaling. Behind the building, which resembles a wall with its appearance, she herself is located. The institution is designed to popularize the great historical and cultural heritage of this, without exaggeration, unique architectural object.

Even the corridor in the museum is stylized like it - it is distinguished by its tortuousness, along its entire length there are “passages”, “signal towers”, “fortresses”, etc. The excursion makes you feel as if you are traveling along the real Great Wall of China: it’s so here everything is thought out and realistic.

Note to tourists


On the Mutianyu section, the longest of the fully restored fragments of the wall, located 90 km north of the capital of the People's Republic of China, there are two funiculars. The first is equipped with closed cabins and is designed for 4-6 people, the second is an open lift, similar to ski lifts. Those suffering from acrophobia (fear of heights) are better off not taking risks and prefer a walking tour, which, however, is also fraught with difficulties.

Climbing the Great Wall of China is quite easy, but descending can turn into real torture. The fact is that the height of the steps is not the same and varies between 5-30 centimeters. You should go down them with extreme care and it is advisable not to stop, because after a pause it is much more difficult to resume the descent. One tourist even calculated: climbing the wall at its lowest section involves climbing 4 thousand (!) steps.

Time to visit, how to get to the Great Wall of China

Excursions to the Mutianyu site from March 16 to November 15 are held from 7:00 to 18:00, in other months - from 7:30 to 17:00.

The Badaling site is open to visitors from 6:00 to 19:00 in summer and from 7:00 to 18:00 in winter.

You can get acquainted with the Symatai site in November-March from 8:00 to 17:00, in April-November - from 8:00 to 19:00.

A visit to the Great Wall of China is provided both as part of excursion groups and on an individual basis. In the first case, tourists are delivered by special buses, which usually depart from Beijing's Tiananmen Square, Yabaolu and Qianmen streets; in the second, inquisitive travelers are served public transport or a private car with driver hired for the whole day.


The first option is suitable for those who find themselves in the Celestial Empire for the first time and do not know the language. Or, on the contrary, those who know the country and speak Chinese, but at the same time want to save money: group excursions are relatively inexpensive. But there are also costs, namely the significant duration of such tours and the need to focus on other members of the group.

Public transport to get to the Great Wall of China is usually used by those who know Beijing well and speak and read at least a little Chinese. A trip by regular bus or train will cost less than even the most attractively priced group tour. There is also time savings: a self-guided tour will allow you not to be distracted, for example, by visiting numerous souvenir shops, where guides love to take tourists in the hope of earning their commissions from sales.

Renting a driver and a car for the whole day is the most comfortable and flexible way to get to the section of the Great Wall of China that you choose. The pleasure is not cheap, but it is worth it. Wealthy tourists often book a car through the hotel. You can simply catch one on the street, like an ordinary taxi: this is how many residents of the capital earn money, readily offering their services to foreigners. Just don’t forget to get the driver’s phone number or take a photo of the car itself, so that you don’t have to look for it for a long time if the person leaves or drives off somewhere before you return from the excursion.

The most grandiose defensive structure on the planet is the Great Wall of China, the Eighth Wonder of the World. This fortification is considered the longest and widest. There are still disputes how many km is the Chinese wall stretches. You can find a lot about this building interesting facts in literature and on the Internet. Even its location is of interest - this wall divides China into north and south - the land of nomads and the land of farmers.

History of the Chinese Wall

Before the appearance of the Great Wall of China, China had a lot of scattered defensive structures against the raids of nomads. In the third century BC, when Qin Shi Huang began to rule, small kingdoms and principalities united. And the emperor decided to build one big wall.

They started building the wall in 221 BC. There is a legend that construction of the Chinese wall abandoned the entire imperial army - about three hundred thousand people. Peasants were also attracted. At first the wall was in the form of ordinary earthen embankments, and only after that they began to replace them with brick and stone.

By the way, this structure can be called the longest not only wall, but also a cemetery. After all, a lot of builders were buried here - they were buried in the wall, and then structures were built directly on the bones.

Since its construction, there have been several attempts to destroy the wall and then restore it. Modern look This building was built during the Ming Dynasty. From 1368 to 1644, building towers were erected, bricks were laid instead of earthen embankments, and some areas were rebuilt.

There are many interesting facts about the Chinese Wall, which is considered the longest man-made structure in the world. Here are some of them:

  • when laying stone blocks, adhesive was used rice porrige, into which slaked lime was mixed;
  • its construction took the lives of more than millions of people;
  • this wall is on the UNESCO World Heritage List as one of the greatest historical landmarks;
  • in 2004, more than forty million foreign tourists visited the Wall of China.

Most of the controversy is around the number how many km is the Great Wall of China. Previously it was believed that its length was 8.85 thousand. But then it turned out that archaeologists measured only those sections of the structure that were built during the Ming Dynasty.

But if we talk about everything Chinese wall, length it is 21.196 thousand kilometers. These data were announced by employees of the State Administration for Cultural Heritage Affairs. They began research back in 2007, and announced the results in 2012. Thus, the length of the Chinese wall turned out to be 12 thousand kilometers longer than the original data.

The only man-made structure that astronauts can see from orbit is the Great Wall of China. The beginning of construction dates back to the 4th-3rd centuries BC, as a defensive structure against raids by Asian tribes in a strategically important place on the border. 400 thousand soldiers took part in the construction of this monumental structure. The wall originates in Shaikhanguang. This huge earthen rampart, lined with stones, runs like a huge python through dangerous gorges, steep cliffs and dry deserts. The length of the Wall is almost six thousand kilometers, its height is 7.8 m, its width is 5.8 m. Signal towers are built along the entire length of the wall at a certain distance from each other. This great structure ends at the Jiayguan outpost. Necessary cargo was transported along the top of the Wall and ammunition was delivered during hostilities. Nowadays, tourists who climb the Wall on foot are given a colorful diploma “I was on the Great Wall of China.”

The oldest Chinese monument

The symbol of China, a symbol of national pride, the “eighth wonder of the world” and one of the world’s oldest architectural monuments is the Great Wall of China. There is not a single person on the globe who has not heard or read about this great, largest, grandiose monument of antiquity. This wall is located on an area covering an area from the Liaodong Gulf (northeast of Beijing), through northern China to the Gobi Desert. There are several opinions about the specific length of this attraction. But we can say about it with complete accuracy that it spreads over a distance of more than two thousand kilometers. Taking into account also the ramparts that extend from it, the result is approximately 6000-6500 km.

Officially, this Great Wall began to be built in 220. BC. by order of the ruler Qin Shi Huang. It defended the northwestern border from attacks by nomadic peoples. Its construction took hundreds of years. After the reign of the Qing Dynasty was established, its construction ceased.

In order to get inside the state, it was necessary to go through all the checkpoints that closed at night and did not open until the morning. Rumors spread among the people that in order to get into his state, even the Chinese emperor himself waited until dawn.

Over the course of 2,700 years, the construction of the wall took place three times. Prisoners, prisoners of war, as well as peasants who were taken from their families by force were sent to the north to build the wall. About two million people died during the construction of this wall. At its base were their remains. Based on this, to this day, people call the Great Wall of China the “Wailing Wall.”

At various places Great Wall, the height of which was from 6 to 10 meters and the width from 5.5 to 6.5 meters, casemates, signal towers and guard towers were built. Fortresses were built near the main passes of the mountains.

Interesting legend and story about the Chinese Wall

It took a lot of people to build the Chinese wall. There is one Chinese legend, according to which, after the wedding, the husband of the girl, whose name was Mung Jiangnu, was exiled to the construction of the Great Wall. After three years of waiting, the young wife still did not see her husband. He did not return home. In order to take warm clothes to her husband, she set out on a very long, dangerous and difficult journey. A young woman reached the Shanhaiguan outpost and learned that her husband had died from hard work and was buried under the wall, sobbed loudly. Then it collapsed large plot walls, and she saw the corpse of her beloved husband. Chinese legends immortalize the memory of the hard work of those involved in the construction of the wall. The construction of the wall included several conditions. Thus, each of the wall towers had to be located in the visible zone of two neighboring towers. Messages between them were transmitted using smoke, drumming or fire at night. The width of the wall was also calculated. It was 5.5 meters. This was done on purpose, because then five infantrymen could march in a row or five cavalrymen could ride side by side. Now its average height is nine meters. The watchtowers are twelve meters high.

Badaling Wall

Tourists in China consider it a must to visit the Wall of China. Every year, millions of people come to see this magnificent historical landmark. In the area of ​​Mount Badaling, located 60 km from the city of Beijing, there is the most visited section of the Chinese Wall by tourists. There are always a lot of people here. This area was restored in 1957.

The length of this ancient monument is approximately 50 kilometers. Entrance: Y45. In summer it is open from 6.00 to 22.00, and in winter from 7.00 to 18.00. The ticket includes a 15-minute film about the history of the construction of the wall, which is shown in the circular amphitheater from 9.00 to 17.45, as well as an introduction to the Chinese Wall Museum from 9.00 to 16.00. You can also get to Badaling by bus number 919 (depending on the number of stops Y5-10), which runs every 10 minutes from the ancient Deshengmen gate, located 500 m east of Jishuitan metro station. Warning: at 18.30 the last bus departure from Badaling.

For 8 hours, that is, for the whole day, you can rent a taxi with 4 passengers (maximum), costing Y400, or maybe more.

Among other things, there are hiking routes. One of them is Line C with a cost of Y80 round trip, which includes the cost of visiting the wall. Opening hours: from 6.30 to 22.00. Another route is Line C, stopping at the Tomb of Minh for Y140, which includes entrance fees and lunch. Hours from 6.30 to 22.00.

Secrets of the Great Wall of China

Mutianyu Wall

Mutianyu is the second known section of the wall. It is located 90 km north of Beijing. It can be visited from 6.30 to 18.00. Entrance ticket costs 35 yuan. The Mutianyu site is located in a mountainous area. You can climb it using the funicular. On the cable car, spend another 50 yuan for a round-trip ticket or 35 yuan for a one-way ticket only. A happier, cheaper descent is the iron chute that runs under the cable car. On it, in a special capsule, you can ride down. Bill Clinton also rode in one of the cable car cabins. You can read this on a special sign. Maybe you will be able to take a ride in the president's cabin.

This wall has great dignity. It is located in a very picturesque place. There are much fewer people here than in Badaling. There are no people after the fourteenth tower. Therefore, this place is very suitable for capturing beautiful and interesting moments and taking photographs.

Here it is necessary to take into account that this section of the wall, which consists of stairs going down and up, was made very thoughtfully. To slow down the enemy who had made his way onto the wall, they came up with these uneven stairs of various sizes. Not all visitors enjoy so many obstacles during their walk.

By taking bus number 916 to the last stop you can reach the tower. To get to the wall you need to transfer to a minibus. This stop is located 200 meters east of Dongzhimen Station. You will pay 11 yuan for travel. Bus operating hours are from 6.00 to 19.00.

Simatai Wall

110 kilometers northeast of Beijing is the next section of the wall - Simatai, 4.5 km long. 30 yuan is the entrance fee to this site. Visiting hours are from 8.00 to 17.00. In order to climb the wall, you must ride the cable car, paying 50 yuan for a round trip ticket or 30 for one way only.

From the same Dongzhimen stop, two buses go to Simatai Wall. The first bus number 970 goes to Simatai at 5:40, and the last return bus leaves at 18:30. The second bus, number 980, goes there at 5:50, and the last one at 19:00. In the same way, you need to go to the last stop and then transfer to a minibus.

There are much fewer people here. People need good physical fitness to visit this wall, which goes up along the mountains and down the cliffs. There are 35 watchtowers located close to each other, with a minimum distance between them of 40 meters. The main tower, which features mythical creatures and is decorated with carvings, is the most beautiful of them all. The tallest one, the sixteenth tower, is the Beijing Tower. For an elevation of one kilometer above sea level, it lacks several meters. Incomparable, magnificent and interesting view opens from it.

There are two places in this area that are especially surprising and dangerous. These are the Heavenly Bridge and the Heavenly Staircase. The Sky Bridge at the top narrows to 30 centimeters. Can you imagine how brave Chinese soldiers in ancient times could overcome it? Tourists are not allowed on the Sky Bridge and the Sky Staircase. The climb to the top of the Heavenly Staircase is very steep. The staircase is very narrow and the angle of climb is 85 degrees. There are no parapets there.

Jinshanling Wall

Jinshanling is located 130 kilometers from Beijing, west of Simatai. Entrance tickets to this site cost 40 yuan from mid-November to mid-March, and 50 yuan at other times of the year. You can get there by cable car in the same way and at the same cost, i.e. 50 yuan round trip and 30 one way. Here, as in Simatai, the opening hours are the same, i.e. from 8.00 to 17.00.

This section of the wall has been little restored. Here, there are very few visitors and few places where people can be allowed.

The length of the Jinshanling wall is 10.5 kilometers. There are 24 watchtowers here. They all have different shape. The height of the additional walls that enclosed the watchtowers was 2.5 m. These walls were made to protect the soldiers. Warriors, being in a safe place, in case of an attack, could attack the enemy, even after they were able to climb the wall.

Near the tower, which is called Hudin, there are bricks in the wall on which there are signatures of hieroglyphs. The date of manufacture of the bricks and the departments involved in the construction of each site can be found out from them.

You can get to Jinshalin in the same way and by the same buses that go to Simatai. Then you need to take a minibus. There is another way to get there - by train No. 6453, which departs at 6:38 from Beijing North Station to Gubeikou Station. After which it remains to take a short bus ride to the wall.

Other famous pieces of the wall

There are three sections of the wall that are built from purple marble. Two sites are located in Jiang'an City, and the other is in the Yanyshan Mountains, which is called Baiyanyu. They are considered the most reliable, strongest and most beautiful. Unfortunately, not every tourist can visit this wall.

The essence of the inscription left by Mao Zedong at the entrance to the reconstructed part of the wall is that a Chinese who has not visited the Great Wall of China is not a real Chinese.

Many sources mention that the length of the Great Wall of China is 8,851.8 kilometers. However, official data in China indicate 21,196.18 km. But still, what is the length of the Great Wall of China and why are the data so different?

Below we will talk about how to correctly measure the Great Wall of China, and together we will calculate the kilometers of this the most famous symbol Celestial Empire, and we will also tell you which parts of the wall are open to the public today!

The official length of the Great Wall of China is 21,196 km

For the first time, a scientific approach was used to measure the length of the Great Wall of China and a systematic assessment was carried out. After 5 years of research, scientists were able to measure the length of the entire wall. June 5, 2012 Public administration of China Ancient Cultural Monuments Affairs announced that The official length of the Great Wall of China is 21,196.18 km.

This is a misleading figure because some sections of the wall were built on top of or next to each other in different eras. Also included in the calculations are individual sections of the fortified wall protecting state borders. That is, not just the part of the wall on China's northern border that is usually considered the Great Wall of China.

All known sections of the Great Wall of China were measured

Official measurements of the Great Wall of China cover all sections built by the seven Warring States (475-221 BC) and at least seven dynasties from Qin to Ming (221 BC - 1644 AD) in 15 provincial areas: Beijing, Tianjin, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hubei, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu and Qinghai. The measured length includes 43,721 relics: walls, trenches, towers, fortress walls, etc.

Length of the Great Wall of China during the Ming Dynasty: 8,851 km

Over the years, during the reigns of various imperial dynasties, the Great Wall of China was destroyed, rebuilt and lengthened many times. Latest construction works on the wall were carried out during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). At that time, the length of the wall was more than 6,000 km. This, in fact, is the wall we are talking about when using the term the great Wall of China.

On April 18, 2009, the State Administration of Ancient Cultural Monuments of China and the State Administration of Cartography of China announced that the length of the Great Wall of China during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) was 8,851.8 km.


What was actually measured then?

Sections of the Great Wall of China were measured across 10 provinces: Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu and Qinghai.

The length of the wall included trenches and natural barriers such as mountains, rivers and lakes. The actual length of the wall itself was thus more than 6,200 km. However, this figure includes many side branches that are not counted as "west to east" lengths.

The shortest distance from the westernmost point of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall of China at Jiayuguang to its easternmost point on the North Korean border at Hushan is 2,235 km.

Why is the Great Wall of China called the "10,000 Li Wall"

The Great Wall of China began to be called "Wan Li Changcheng" (万里长城, Wan Li Changcheng) since the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC).

"Wan" means "10,000", and 1 li equals half a kilometer, "Changcheng" means "Long Wall". Indeed, during the reign of the Qin dynasty, this was exactly the length of the Great Wall of China. The wall continued to be built, it was increased in subsequent centuries, but despite this, the name "Wall 10,000 Li Long" preserved.

The fact is that “wan” in China also means “great number”. Therefore, the name that appeared at that time can also be translated as the poetic “Wall of a great number of li in length” or, in short, “Great Wall”.

Interesting to know:
If, when calculating the length of the Great Wall of China, we include in it all the protective walls that were built during the reign of different dynasties in the northern part of China, then this total length will exceed 50,000 kilometers. Find out more at the link